1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a cartridge casing catcher with reduced firearm ejection port flash and noise.
2. Background Art
Cartridge casing catchers are mounted adjacent the ejection port of a firearm to catch the spent cartridge casings as the casings are ejected after a round is fired. The spent cartridge casings are generally collected for reloading and to prevent casings from being underfoot which can cause a shooter or observer unstable shooting or movement. The spent cartridge casings may also be collected by a cartridge casing catcher (and container) to reduce the evidence left at the shooting site and to reduce the noise generated during the shooting by eliminating the noise generated when the casings impact the surface (i.e., floor, roof, etc.) where the shooter (i.e., firearm user) is positioned. An example of a conventional spent shell container is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,333 to Kratzer (Kratzer '333).
Conventional spent cartridge casing catchers such as shown in the Kratzer '333 patent can have a deficiency in that spent cartridges are ejected with a significant force and tend to bounce inside the collection chamber and in some instances, the spent cartridge can bounce back into the firearm ejection port causing the firearm to jam. Such a jam is highly undesirable when the firearm user is involved in a critical mission situation. In any event, clearing jammed firearms is typically a time consuming, annoying, and potentially hazardous task.
Conventional spent cartridge casing catchers such as shown in the Kratzer '333 patent also have a deficiency in that such spent cartridge casing catchers are only effective when the firearm is operated in a normal (typical) design position (i.e., with the weapon trigger grip in a substantially vertical position, and the weapon ejection port in a substantially horizontal position). That is, such conventional approaches only catch and hold spent cartridge casings when gravitational forces cause the spent cartridge casings to drop or move to a location in the catcher that is generally away from the firearm ejection port. As such, when the user operates the firearm in an orientation that is not the orientation for which the spent cartridge casing catcher was designed (typically a normal firearm operation position), the spent cartridge casings are typically not properly captured and held and can readily cause the firearm to jam in many orientations of the firearm.
However, the firearm user can not always fire the weapon from a position from which the conventional spent cartridge casing catcher was designed to operate, and firearm jams can result. For example, when the shooter desires to obtain a clear shot at a target, to avoid detection, operate the firearm at an oblique angle to provide clearance for a gas mask, operate the firearm “out of position,” fire the weapon “around the clock” (i.e., through a full circle of rotation, including when the weapon is upside down, for instance when firing during a rolling maneuver), etc.
Conventional spent cartridge casing catchers such as shown in the Kratzer '333 patent may have additional deficiencies in that the spent cartridges tend to rattle in the catcher collection chamber and thus cause additional undesirable noise.
The muzzle report of blow back operated and closed breech firearms may be reduced by the installation of a so-called “silencer” (more properly called a suppressor, also referred to as a muffler) on the muzzle, integral with the barrel of the firearm, or both on the muzzle and integral with the barrel. Examples of some conventional firearms suppressors are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,356 to Richardson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,018,720 to Maxim, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,229,675 to Thompson. However, significant noise and flash (i.e., blast) are generated and expelled at the breech and out of the ejection port of the firearm, especially for open-bolt (or blowback) firearms, and from a closed breech weapon, especially from a so-called gas impingement operating firearm such as AR15 rifles, M4 carbines, and M16 assault rifles to an extent which can be unacceptable for clandestine operations.
For example, well suppressed weapons such as the Heckler & Koch Model HK MP5SD, while having very low muzzle report, still produce noise and flash from the ejection port which presents a blast that may be significant and unacceptable in some situations (e.g., when minimal noise is desired, when minimal visible presence such as flash is desired, and the like). Suppressed gas impingement and gas piston operating firearms such as suppressed M4, AR15, M16 assault rifles, and the like still produce noise and flash from the ejection port also. In such firearms muzzle mounted and integral suppressors typically exacerbate or increase ejection port blast.
Open bolt weapons such as the Ingram MAC-10 and Uzi Submachine Gun, even when equipped with a muzzle mounted or integral noise suppressor, still can produce noise (as well as flash) from the breech that is at a level such that the user advisably wears ear protection to reduce the likelihood of hearing loss. Conventional casing catchers such as shown in the Kratzer '333 patent and especially bag type spent cartridge catchers may provide some flash reduction but provide very little reduction of the noise emitted at the firearm port.
Firearms such as the M16 assault rifle, the M4 carbine, the AR15 rifle, H & K MP5, Uzi, MAC-10, and so forth (i.e., especially but not exclusively firearms that are gas piston, gas impingement, and blowback and delayed blowback operated), when equipped with a snug fitting and well encapsulating cartridge casing catcher (e.g., an apparatus for collecting cartridge casings as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,375 to Olson (Olson '375), or the like), and also equipped with a muzzle mounted suppressor may generate an excessive barrel chamber post-firing gas back pressure when the firearm discharges such that ejection port flash and noise may not be contained within the cartridge casing catcher.
In particular and especially when the firearm is operated in very rapid fire semi-automatic mode or in full-automatic mode, ejection port gas that is fluidly transmitted into the cartridge casing catcher may build up excessive pressure within the cartridge casing catcher such that flash and noise may escape past the interface of the cartridge casing catcher and the firearm receiver (i.e., so-called blow by). The ejection port flash and noise that escapes past the interface and into the surrounding atmosphere may be undesirable in critical situations where absolute minimal audible noise and visible flash are desired by the user (generally a Soldier in a location near hostile forces).
For example, provides a container that is arranged to be quickly attached to or removed from a closed chute that is disposed around the ejection port of a submachine gun so that empty cartridge casings expelled from the gun are deposited into the container in a manner such that gases remaining in the casings cannot escape into the surrounding atmosphere. However, when such an apparatus is implemented in connection with suppressor equipped firearms that are operated as indicated above, the container can become filled with pressurized gases that may be blown by and escape.
Further, the firearm operating mechanism (e.g., bolt and carrier actuation), especially in the case of semi-automatic and full-automatic firearms, generates noise that can compromise the location of the firearm user. Such firearm mechanism generated noise is typically not attenuated to any significant level by conventional spent cartridge casing catchers such as shown in the Kratzer '333 patent, Olson '375, and the like. Such firearm operating mechanism noise is typically not reduced by conventional muzzle mounted firearms suppressors.
Thus, there exists a need and an opportunity for a spent cartridge casing catcher having reduced firearm ejection port flash and noise. Such an improved cartridge casing catcher may overcome deficiencies of conventional approaches.